


The Life of Alaina Mayberry

by Common_fan_writes



Series: Welcome to the Batfam [3]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Original Work, Superman - All Media Types, The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Fantasy, Minor cursing, Of course there’s cursing; Jason is involved, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21622141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Common_fan_writes/pseuds/Common_fan_writes
Summary: The life of an unfortunate girl by the name Alaina Mayberry, who runs from her home and finds herself in a lot of trouble.
Series: Welcome to the Batfam [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558327
Kudos: 3





	1. That One Fateful Day

**Author's Note:**

> This story is incomplete, so not all archive warnings or characters apply yet.

Alaina Mayberry ran away from the house she had once thought of as her home, her black cloak trailing behind her. The past week had been very eventful, and she had figured out more than what her parents would ever have wanted. Her parents never let her come across any stray knowledge that they didn’t approve of her learning.

You may be wondering how her parents were able to keep such a close eye on her, especially in this day and age. You may also be the type that doesn’t like it when the author seems to assume your feelings, especially when they’re completely wrong. Well, deal with it. 

The reason behind them being able to control what their child knew, is because of potions. She was their little experiment that they tested their potions on. They had managed to create an obedience potion so strong that it could control the behavior of any living being it was poured on. It could force them to do things that their bodies weren’t even capable of doing. Their family members were the only ones capable of making these potions. However, this came at the price of part of their soul each time a potion was used to force them to do anything out of their abilities. 

Luckily, they were able to find a way to fix the souls that are affected, so long as the potion was never used again on that person afterwards. The two witches had been trying to find a way around the problem so that they could always use these obedience potions without any side-effects. They were trying to find a perfect solution, so that they could have their perfectly obedient child. Then, they would have their “perfect family”.

Alaina didn’t want a “perfect family” anyway. That house was a cage that she’d finally managed to get out of. If she got her way, no one would notice that she was missing until she was long gone. Of course, the main character doesn’t always get their way in every story. In this case, she did manage to get away.

Alaina was a smart kid, and she had many talents. It wasn’t hard for her to formulate a plan to escape, the only hard part was figuring out that she needed to escape. Now, it should just be a piece of cake... if everything went smoothly. Cake isn’t too hard to bake anyway. That is, for some people. People like her.

Alaina sprinted all the way to the outskirts of the nearest town, which was a few miles away from the city she had been caged in. She was finally free, and now she just had to avoid being caught by anyone who may have been looking for her.

Alaina casually walked into the town and a big wooden sign welcomed her. ‘We c me to W nde eto n!’ the green text greeted, several of the letters were missing or seemed to be about to fall off any second. Wanderetoan. The name was familiar to Alaina, and it seemed like the kind of place that people trying to find themselves gravitate towards. She knew she was certainly seeking for her new life.

Alaina had to navigate through a small crowd in order to arrive at her destination, all the while keeping an eye on the basket she was using to store her things. She stopped right in front of the shop she had planned to visit - the reason why she had come here - only to notice a sign on the front door. It read:  
  


> Sorry, we’re closed for the day. An unexpected problem came up this morning and we can’t handle both the shop and the problem. Please come back tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience.

  
  
Alaina sighed. It looked like this was going to be a lot harder than she thought. She read the name of the store again just to confirm. Smith’s Clothes. People would definitely notice her, all well dressed and clean amongst this dirty town. Already, a few people had glanced over at her. There was no way that she could go a day in such beautiful clothing.

 _Stupid orange flower dress_ , she thought as she glanced at herself. She had her black cloak on, but it only covered most of her dress. She was also wearing a pair of fancy black flats. Considering most people here didn’t even have shoes, people would notice her easily. She tucked a strand of her black hair behind her ear and glared at the world in front of her.   


By now, her chances of not being found were depleting rapidly. It was only a matter of time before her parents would alert the authorities of her absence. 

She rushed to the nearest alleyway and hid. It would be better to wait for tomorrow than to risk staying out all day. It wouldn’t be too long until sunset, anyway. After dusk, the town seemed to change completely. Instead of the constant noises of people talking and children playing, the streets were filled with silence, except for the occasional footsteps of people slowly walking down the streets. 

Alaina didn’t dare allow herself to fall asleep. This alleyway wasn’t safe, despite the fact that this town had a very positive reputation. She didn’t really trust any of these people because they could try to steal from her at any moment. It seemed to take a long time for the sun to rise, but she knew that was just because of her impatience. 

Finally, the bright sun peaked above the horizon, shedding its light onto the town. Alaina immediately sprang up from where she sat and ran to the store. It wouldn’t be open yet, but that didn’t matter. It wasn’t long until the streets were full again. After Alaina was waiting for a while, a middle-aged woman came towards her.

“Hey, little girl, are you lost?” the lady asked.

“No,” Alaina’s response was short and firm, but the lady didn’t seem to notice.

“Where are your parents?” the lady questioned.

“I do not know,” Alaina answered truthfully.

“How about we go find them then?” the lady suggested.

“No,” Alaina objected.

“Come on,” the lady grabbed Alaina’s wrist.

“Let me go!” Alaina protested as she pulled away.

“You heard ‘er, Ms. Woods,” a man intervened. “Leave the poor kid alone.”

“But what about her parents? They must be super worried about her,” Ms. Woods responded.

“She might be an orphan, or ‘er parents could be abusive. Somethin’ like that,” the man pointed out. “I wouldn’t bother her if I were you.”

“But-“

“Ms. Woods, please, the poor kid don’t want to be pestered by you.”

Ms. Woods was about to respond when a little boy about Alaina’s age came running up to her.

“Mum,” the kid whined, “can we go yet?”

“Mark, hun, I can’t just leave the poor kid to fend for herself,” Ms. Woods stated.

“But Mum, I’m hungry!” he protested. “When are we eating?”

“Soon, hun,” Ms. Woods promised.

“How’s about you leave now and get breakfast?” the man suggested.

“Are you going to take care of the kid?” Ms. Woods retorted.

“Sure,” he replied.

“Good,” Ms. Woods replied before grabbing her kid’s hand and leaving.

“Good riddance,” the man muttered, shaking his head in exasperation.

“Mr. Smith,” Alaina addressed the man. She had recognized him from his short brown hair and blue eyes. 

“What?” Mr. Smith asked her. He seemed a bit confused, and there was a hint of suspicion in his tone.

_He is wondering how I know his name,_ she realized easily, knowing the tone of suspicion from prior knowledge. 

“Is your store open?”

“We’ve just opened for the day,” he answered. “Why?”

“I would like to purchase some clothes, if that is alright,” Alaina answered politely.

“‘Course it’s fine,” Mr. Smith responded with a smile, “but I’m not sure we’d have anything as nice as what you’re wearin’.”

“That is exactly the problem,” Alaina stated. “My apparel does not match any of the other clothing in this town, so I stand out in a crowd. It is not very convenient, for I wish to blend in.”

Mr. Smith chuckled.

“Why of course we have clothes for you, come right on in,” he invited as he stepped back into his store. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as polite as you. You don’t have to be so formal.”

“My mother always told me to be kind and respectful,” Alaina responded.

“Well, you’re definitely nicer than most people,” Mr. Smith commented. “I’d watch how polite you are, though. Some of ‘em don’t like it when you’re too kind.”

“I understand,” Alaina glanced around the store. It was just as small as she’d expected, and all of the shelves were covered in a jumbled mess of clothes. It only took her a few minutes of perusing the clothes to find exactly what she’d been looking for. She walked over to the counter and placed down the dull green dress and black leggings.

“Is that all you’ll be getting?” Mr. Smith asked as he looked at the clothes she had chosen.

“For the time being, yes,” Alaina answered. “I may come back in the future, but I highly doubt it.”

“Well, that’s okay,” he replied. “You don’t have to come back. If you don’t mind me asking, why are you on your own? And at such a young age, too.”

“My parents were not the greatest,” Alaina admitted.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Mr. Smith stated.

“Don’t be,” Alaina said. “I have gotten away from that environment, so it will not be a part of my life anymore.”

“You can say that for now, but one day, your past’ll catch up to you. What’re you goin’ to do about it then?”

“I will figure something out,” Alaina assured him. “Do you have these conversations with every seven-year-old that comes into your store alone?”

“No, but I have to say, you are quite different from the rest of ‘em,” Mr. Smith remarked as he checked the prices for the clothes. “At first I thought you were a lot older than seven, just a bit dwarfed.”

“Are you saying that I am short?” Alaina questioned. 

“Well, I ain’t saying you’re tall,” Mr. Smith replied, “but you seem to be about average in height.”

“Understood,” Alaina responded.

“It looks like your purchase will cost $15.99. We only take cash.”

“I am aware. Is it just me, or is that cost a little too low?” 

“Yeah, I cut the cost ‘cause you’re just a kid,” Mr. Smith told her with a wink.

“Thank you, sir,” she said. “I will find you again later in my life. I wish you the best of luck in yours, and may you live peacefully.”

“Thanks,” he smiled, “and good luck with whatever journey you’re taking.”

“Thank you,” she responded as she walked out the door. “Farewell.”

Alaina rushed down the streets to go find a place to get food. After she had received a few apples, she placed them gently in her basket and was on her way again, running down the road, only this time, she had no plan on where to go other than away. Away from the city in which she was born and raised. Away from the house in which she was suffocated with responsibility and expectations. Away from the overprotective controlling parents and their potions that stole any freedom she had ever experienced away from her.  


She was free, and nothing could block her way now. Something about this newfound knowledge made her feel stronger than ever before, now that she was roaming free in the wilderness, ready to take over the world. However, Alaina did not consider herself prepared to explore the perilous world quite yet. Although it would be a facile victory to explore and survive, it would be basically fruitless as well. For now, there was no exploration. For now, there was work to do and much to prepare for. For now, she was just at the beginning of her journey to freedom.


	2. A Harder Life

Alaina Mayberry awoke as the sun rose above the horizon. She hopped up and picked up her basket from where she had left it to rest the night before. As she traversed the land, she removed an apple from her basket and began to eat her breakfast. Currently, she was wearing the green dress she had purchased the day before, as well as her favorite black cloak. She would have to find a shoe store at some point in the near future to wear something other then dress shoes. She needed to find something more durable, like work boots or running shoes. 

It would also be imperative that she found a place to stay and developed the ability to travel from place to place easily. The police had probably already been sent to look for her, so she needed to travel fast and avoid any places that they would look for her in. This being the case, she couldn’t enter any towns that would get the news quickly, and she had to avoid areas in which police resided, unless they had bigger problems. That meant that any area she could stay in would be incredibly dangerous. 

Alaina would most likely have to live on her own, away from others. That, or a city full of chaos so horrible that the police wouldn’t bother looking for her, or maybe a small town without law enforcement where people don’t ask too many questions. She had to travel through the forest, as to not get spotted on the road. She had already memorized a map of the area, so it wasn’t too hard to find the way to the next town that she had marked to be safe. It did take a long time to actually get there, and after about six hours of nonstop walking, she finally arrived at the town.

It was a small town, smaller than the other one, but she had heard that everyone here was really nice. People were very friendly and welcoming, and they all seemed to have bright smiles on their faces, but something about the place made her feel sad. Everyone was smiling, but the whole town seemed depressed. If she could, she would stay and lift their spirits, but alas, she could not, for she could not afford to be caught and end up back at home. All she did was simply find a place to stay for the night, and buy a bit of dinner and food for the road. 

Her life may have become a thousand times harder, but it definitely beat being her parents’ little doll filled with fake happiness. She didn’t need to go back to that life. She didn’t have to deal with that, now that she had escaped. She’d never go back. She didn’t have to listen to them anymore. 

A part of her knew that she was only repeating it to herself because she didn’t completely believe that she would never have to go back to that place. However, she wasn’t about to let that bring her down. She was an independent young lady, and she could survive on her own and avoid being found… she hoped. She definitely didn’t want to return to her ‘home’. But a part of her longed to return home. A part of her knew it was simpler there. A part of her still longs for the fake happiness that used to be enough for her. There’s a broken piece of her that won’t be fixed until she returns home, but that didn’t matter. She ignores that part of her the best she could, and just continues to travel along the road of hardships and heartbreaks.


	3. Just Another Small Town

Alaina Mayberry arrived at her new destination after weeks of traveling from place to place. Hopefully, the news hadn’t reached this town yet. When she entered the town, she immediately noticed how overwhelmingly happy everyone seemed to be. The moment she walked into the store she had chosen to get food from, the cashier looked up. 

“Well you’re a new face,” she commented. 

“Yes, I am,” although she’d been through several towns, Alaina still couldn’t get used to being identified as a stranger. 

“You lookin’ for anything in particular?” 

“Just food. I will be out of your hair any minute now, so don’t mind me.” 

“We don’t get any new people ‘round here these days. I’m surprised you found this town. Are you plannin’ on staying?” 

“No, I will probably have left by the end of the day.” 

“That’s a shame. This little town’s been getting smaller every year. It’s dyin’. I guess it’s living up to its name,” the cashier commented. 

“What is its name?” 

“Smallville. I’m surprised you didn’t know that since you actually managed to find it. Did you just end up here by chance?” 

“Yes, I did,” Alaina answered. 

“Well, maybe it’s fate,” the cashier replied, “you’d like it here.” 

“Maybe I would, if I were not in such a hurry.” 

The cashier shook her head. 

“Young people these days, always in a hurry.” 

“Can you blame us?” Alaina asked, “Were you any different when you were younger?” 

“I guess not,” the cashier responded, a nostalgic expression upon her face, “but I can’t recall the details too clearly. I’m not gettin’ any younger, you know?” 

“Time does not travel in reverse,” Alaina stated. 

“No, it don’t. No matter how much we wish it would.” 

“I do not wish for time to flow backwards. That would reverse all of our efforts of the past few days, or maybe years.” 

“I guess it would, wouldn’t it?” 

“Yes. May I check out now?” Alaina replied, placing her items on the counter. 

“Sure!” the cashier smiled, and then glanced at the items. “Are you sure that’s all you’ll be gettin’? That’s not that much stuff you’ve got there.” 

“I am sure. I have been living like this for quite some time.” 

“If you say so,” the cashier said with a doubtful look. 

“It is not like I can carry anything else,” Alaina pointed out, her basket in her hands. She didn’t have anything else to use to carry things. 

“I guess not, but you might want to eat more.” 

“I understand,” Alaina responded, “maybe once I am not in a hurry, I will find a place to stay and eat a decent meal. That reminds me, is there anywhere that I can stay for the night?” 

“I’m sure there are plenty of people who’re willin’ to help you,” the cashier answered. “Just don’t go near the Kents’ neighbor. They say he’s a little unhinged.” 

“Good to know,” Alaina replied. “Have a good night.” 

“Same to you,” the cashier said with a smile. 

Alaina left the shop with a good feeling about the town. The people seemed pretty nice, and the town still had this happiness about it that made her feel safe, but the moment she saw someone walking down the street, something was different about him. He wasn’t like the rest of the people in the town. 

“Hello!” he greeted with a smile. 

“Hello,” Alaina replied politely. 

“I see you’re new around here,” he commented. “Do you need any help settling in? You’re quite young to be on your own.” 

“I’m fine, thank you. I will not be settling in.” 

“Oh, okay,” he responded, “if you need any help, just come find me.” 

“Maybe I will,” Alaina said, “but unlike the citizens of Metropolis, I do not rely on Superman’s help.” 

Her statement seemed to surprise him, which only confirmed her guess. He was probably wondering how she had managed to figure him out, despite being only a seven-year-old. A very smart seven-year-old. 

“What?” she asked the shocked adult. “It is not very hard to find out.” 

“Okay,” Superman calmed himself, pushing his shock aside. “Still, if you ever need anything, feel free to contact me.” 

“I doubt that I will ever have any need to contact you,” Alaina replied as she began to walk away. “Goodbye.” 

“Bye! See you again later, okay?” 

“Maybe,” Alaina didn’t bother looking back at him. She was kind of underwhelmed by the superhero that everyone else seemed to adore. Honestly, she thought that the Robins were cooler. Especially Red Robin and Nightwing. Superman? Superman was just another one of those other heroes. Of course, all vigilantes didn’t seem to consider that what they were doing might not be legal or even helpful. 

Maybe she should go to Gotham. Then she might meet the Robins. But it would take too long to get there. Maybe some other day, once she wasn’t being looked for as much. Gotham wasn’t that far from her home, anyway. She’d probably be noticed there. Her family was pretty important, anyway. Maybe she’d give it a chance. But she’d have to do that later.


	4. Another Destination

Alaina Mayberry really did decide to go to Gotham, but she had to stop in several towns beforehand. Not all of the places she stopped were towns, though. One of them was Central City, home of the Flash. It was pretty chaotic in that city, especially when she almost got squashed by a raging supervillain. In the blink of and eye, the Flash had arrived. Everyone in the area seemed relieved to see the city’s favorite hero. That is, other than an underwhelmed seven-year-old. 

“Everyone, get out of the area!” the Flash commanded. Alaina felt something tug at her mind. 

_What’s going on now?_ She wondered. After a moment, pain coursed through her body. She didn’t know why, but she allowed her subconscious to take control over her and lead her away. She could still see the fight from her new position, but now she wasn’t concerned about that. She wondered why she had left. But when she realized what had happened, she felt a chill go down her spine. 

_The potions are still affecting me,_ she realized, _so now I’ll still have to listen to people._

She didn’t know what to do about it now that she had left her house. She didn’t have any supplies to cure herself from the potion, and she had no way to set herself free. If the potions were still controlling her, then she would be listening to her parents’ commands forever. She didn’t want to be stuck like this. She didn’t want to just be a broken doll. She wanted to be human. She wanted to be normal, to fit in. She didn’t want to be like this. But Alaina knew she wasn’t normal, and thanks to her parents, she never would be. She would never be normal, but maybe she could still be happy the way she was. 

Who was she fooling? She couldn’t be happy. 

Not like this. 

Not as just a broken toy. 

She hadn’t noticed she’d been crying until she heard Flash’s voice. 

“Are you okay?” he asked. 

“I am not well,” she answered as she wiped away her tears, “but that should not be any of your concern. Just keep protecting the city, as always.” 

“I wouldn’t say I really do all that good of a job protecting the city,” the Flash replied, “all I do is investigate after a crime happens.” 

Alaina glanced up at him. No wonder he wasn’t acting like one of those heroes, considering he wasn’t in costume. 

“Whatever you say, Flash,” she responded. 

“Allen,” he corrected. “Barry Allen. What makes you think that I’m the Flash?” 

“Various things,” Alaina answered, “but that does not matter too much.” 

“Okay,” Barry’s voice trailed off, and he was definitely suspicious, or maybe he was just wondering how obvious he was. 

“If you do not mind, then I will be taking my leave now.” 

“Oh, okay. Are you feeling better?” 

“I will never be okay, but I have better things to worry about than my own mental health.” 

“That’s not that best way to think about it.” 

“Just ignore my existence and get back to your job, please,” Alaina insisted. 

“Uh, sure…” 

The Flash, Barry Allen, returned to his work. He had plenty of things to do. People like him shouldn’t waste their time trying to make her feel better. They didn’t need to know how she felt. 

They didn’t need to care. 

No one needed to care.


	5. Just a Crime-Filled City

Alaina Mayberry arrived at Gotham city. It was just how she had remembered it from all the news reports she’d listened to on the tv at her former home. Dark, gloomy, smoke, crimes left and right, and absolutely no sun were the kinds of things that you would expect to see in Gotham. It wasn’t quite like that, though. But this was the Gotham daytime. This was when all the middle and upper class of Gotham was awake. There wasn’t much crime that went on in the daytime. That is, none worth reporting. It didn’t relate to Batman, so no one really cared. That is except for the owner Wayne Enterprises, Bruce Wayne, and his business manager, Lucius Fox. Lucius did all the work, though. At least, that’s what she’d heard. Who knows if it was actually true.

For now, she wouldn’t bother paying any attention to the people in Gotham. The only interesting people were the ones that only came out at night. Gotham was a good city to rest in, considering its residents were too busy with their own lives to pay any attention to her. However, there were the criminals that might cause a few problems. She always glanced around the corners cautiously before passing. You never know when someone’s going to try and rob you in cities like this. She considered herself lucky, because she’d never been robbed, and people had never even attempted to rob her. I guess there wasn’t much interesting about an eight-year-old girl roaming the streets. They were looking for other targets. 

Just inside one alleyway, there was someone talking to this boy. The boy had black hair and green eyes, but Alaina couldn’t observe much about the other person because of her cloak. She did recognize that cloak, though. 

_Irene,_ she thought as she felt the cloak of her own, remembering all of those times she had stayed by the fireplace, staring into the flames. 

‘Irene,’ she had thought, or silently spoke to the world in which no one was listening, ‘please come home.’ 

_Irene,_ the thought repeated itself now, a small echo of an emotion she had once felt placed inside of the though, _now I understand why you did not return. I do not blame you anymore. I do not really blame myself anymore. But I still wish I could have known you better._

Alaina noticed the black and white cat, and immediately recognized him as Star, their cat that disappeared the same day Irene went missing. He must’ve been with her all that time. Irene had always been the one that loved Star the most. It wasn’t surprising that he was with her. 

Alaina tried not to think about it. That was in the past. She didn’t know anyone named Irene. She didn’t have any siblings. She didn’t have any family. 

She didn’t need them anyway. She just had to continue her journey far away from where she came. In a journey, you don’t always return to the starting place. She didn’t plan to. 

Despite her determination, she couldn’t force herself to move until she heard Irene almost leave. She had to get out of there before she was recognized, otherwise she might find herself unable to leave. She didn’t want to stay for too long, but she knew deep down that it wouldn’t matter anyway. People wouldn’t notice her in this city. 

It took a while to find a safe place to stay the night, not that it would really matter. Nowhere was truly safe in Gotham, even with the Bats around. She’d just leave her stuff here and move on. A part of her wished to have a good night’s sleep, but she was more determined to find as many bat-family members as possible. 

——— 

It didn’t take Alaina long to find the first members. She’d heard noises from an alleyway, and when she checked, Red Hood and Red Robin were fighting some criminals. 

“Do not let Hood kill anyone!” Alaina called happily. 

“I won’t,” Red Robin responded quickly, easily knowing that he was the one being talked to. 

“Hey! It’s not like I was going to kill anyone in the first place,” Red Hood retorted. He seemed a bit frustrated. Stressed about something. 

“Did something happen?” Alaina asked curiously. 

“No, nothing important,” Red Robin denied it, “why?” 

“You both seem stressed,” Alaina pointed out. 

“We don’t have to explain ourselves to you,” Red Hood pointed out. 

“I guess not,” Alaina responded, “have a good night, then.” 

“You too,” Red Robin replied with a smile she could tell was fake, and then tripped in the middle of his disappearing act. Red Hood caught him, but it was still very suspicious. No matter what they said, something was definitely wrong. Alaina tried not to think much of it and just continued to search for the other members of the bat family. She had heard news of an Oracle, but Oracle just happened to never show up, and her existence might just be entirely a myth. 

Alaina didn’t bother searching for myths. Batman used to be a myth, but now the whole world knows of his existence. Myths aren’t always just myths, so Oracle might actually exist. Still, myths were myths and she wasn’t trying to prove them right or wrong. 

Alaina traveled to the nearest roof that wasn’t blocked off she could find. If she was going to meet any more heroes, then it would be here. Not that she knew why she was trying to meet the heroes. They weren’t important in her life anyway. 

It wasn’t long until she heard a thud on the roof next to her. That was weird. Most heroes would try to avoid confrontations with civilians. That meant that whoever had landed on the roof behind her wasn’t a hero. In, that case, they were a villain. 

“Do you have something that you wish to discuss?” Alaina asked calmly. 

Silence. Maybe she’d imagined the thud in the first place. She wouldn’t check. Looking would mean defeat in her mental game. She didn’t need that. 

“It is rude to not respond,” Alaina pointed out. She heard something shift. Someone was there. 

But they were letting her win. 

“I find it annoying for you to not try,” she stated, “You have played mental games before, have you not?” 

Still, no one talked, so she sat there in silence for a while. She waited for them to talk, let them break the silence, but they didn’t. 

“Are you mute or something?” Alaina wondered. They could stay in silence if they wished. 

“No,” came the hesitant reply. Alaina stood and turned around. 

“What do you want, then?” she asked. 

“What are you doing in Gotham?” the person questioned. 

“Things, what about you?” 

“Looking for you.” 

There was a moment of silence as the realization hit her. 

“So, are you going to take me back home?” Alaina inquired. 

“Yes,” the person answered. Alaina sighed. 

“My apologies, but I am not going back,” she replied. 

“Why not?” 

“I am not returning to that place, and you cannot make me,” Alaina insisted. She had known coming to Gotham wasn’t a good idea. 

“Alaina, come with me,” the person ordered. But Alaina wasn’t going to be ordered around. 

“No!” she objected, the howling wind almost drowning out her reply. 

“You’re going to come back to your home, whether you like it or not.” 

“I am not going back!” Alaina yelled, half trying to convince herself. 

_‘One day, your past’ll catch up to you. What’re you goin’ to do about it then?’_

_‘I will figure something out’_

She would figure something out. She could get herself out of any situation. 

But she was only eight. 

She was just a little kid. 

The person reach over to grab her wrist, so Alaina took a step away. A step off the roof. 

It was only a moment of time before she found her environment completely changed. But something was strange. She wasn’t hurt at all. And then she saw Red Hood, and realized that he’d saved her. 

“Hello,” she greeted. 

“What’d I say about jumping off of roofs just to find us bats?” Red Hood asked. He seemed more than a little irritated with her. 

“You said not to,” Alaina replied, “and I did not.” 

“Uh-huh,” Red Hood was unimpressed. “How about you not fall off any more rooftops, okay?” 

“I cannot make any promises that I will not fall off of anything,” Alaina stated, “but I may try not to. Besides, I did not _fall_ off the roof, I _stepped._ ” 

“Just don’t give us more work. We have enough as it is.” 

“You did not have to help me. I could have saved myself.” 

Red Hood laughed. 

“Really? ‘Cause that’s not what it looked like.” 

“I would have survived the fall,” Alaina pointed out. 

“You could have,” Red Hood admitted, “but you’d still be injured.” 

“Yes, I would be injured, but that is only a possibility.” 

“Just don’t be dumb,” Red Hood seemed exasperated again, probably because of her. 

“I will not. I am not an idiot anymore.” 

Red Hood looked at her, the expression beneath the helmet probably one of amusement and still frustration. 

“Yeah, yeah,” he said. “Whatever you say.”


	6. Memory

Alaina Mayberry walked down the Gotham streets aimlessly. So far, she’d been in Gotham for days and not found a single sign of Nightwing. She’d found evidence that all the other bat-family members had been around. Oracle not included, considering their existence had yet to be proven. Alaina had actually seen Red Hood and Red Robin with her own eyes.

Right now, she wasn’t too concerned about finding the bats; She was more concerned about avoiding that person from before.

_“You’re going to come back to your home, whether you like it or not.”_

_I’m not going back,_ the thought sounded like a whisper in the air, bringing with it the feeling of determination that had decided to stay near her for the past few weeks. _I’m never going back to that place again._

__

The thought of that place brought with it unwanted memories that filled her mind.

_“Shut up!” Alaina had yelled at the adult who wouldn’t stop bothering her, insulting their whole family. “Don’t talk about us that way!”_

__

_“Why you little-“ the adult growled._

__

__

__

_“Alaina, dear! Come back inside,” Mother had called in her singsong voice. That normally meant that she had done something wrong. Alaina’s feet had moved on their own as she turned back to her mother. They’d walked themselves over to her despite the fact that she’d never told them to move._

____

_____ _

_“Yes, Mother?” Alaina had asked, naïve as she had been back then. She had somewhat willingly entered the cage._

______ _ _

__

______ _ _

_“Don’t talk to people that way, okay? Always treat them with respect, no matter what they do,” Mother instructed._

_______ _ _ _

__

_______ _ _ _

_“Yes, Mother,” she’d agreed, knowing that there was no other choice, unless she wanted to be punished again. Even then, when she had been even more naïve, she had still shuddered at the thought._

________ _ _ _ _

__

________ _ _ _ _

_“Good,” Mother had replied, “now go run along and play, I’ve got other things to do. And don’t disturb the neighbors, no matter what they say.”_

_________ _ _ _ _ _

__

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_“Yes, Mother.”_

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She’d never, ever, told her mother ‘no’. Not once after the first time it had happened. It still haunts her to this day. She stopped herself from thinking about it. She doesn’t want to have it haunt her now, and she didn’t want it to haunt her then.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Stop thinking about it,_ she scolded herself as she forced her legs to carry her faster. _Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. **Do. not. think. about. it.**_

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She became extremely focused on not remembering what had occurred, that she failed to notice the person in front of her before walking into them. She fell to the ground with a thud, but she wasn’t injured.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Are you okay?” the man asked before she could apologize.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes, I have not been injured,” she answered in her normal polite manner, “I am sorry for running into you. I was not paying attention to my surroundings.”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s fine,” the man responded as he offered a hand to help her up. He was wearing a business suit, and not a hair on his head was out of place. His eyes were a dark blue, and his black hair was a sharp contrast to his white skin. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Alaina accepted his hand and allowed him to help her up. He was much taller than her, and she only made it up to his waist.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What’s a young girl like you doing running around these streets?” the man wondered.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I am wandering the streets because it is relaxing,” she replied. “It helps me think.”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, you might want to head back home,” the man advised. “It’s getting pretty late.”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I do not have a home,” Alaina replied. The man paused for a moment, but before he could respond, Alaina continued. “It is fine. I do not need a home.”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You should really find a place to stay,” the man insisted, “these streets aren’t safe at night.”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What is going to happen?” Alaina asked, “is some insane clown going to come and try to blow me up? Because I think that for the most part, the city is safe. I am not stupid enough to get on any supervillains’  
nerves.”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That doesn’t mean you’ll be safe anywhere in Gotham.”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know self-defense, and it is not like I am some kind of idiotic vigilante under the delusion that beating people up makes the city safer.”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The person didn’t show many signs of it, but Alaina was able to tell that it stung for her to think that way of him and his family. It was obvious to her after a few moments of talking with him that he was Bruce Wayne. Billionaire by day, vigilante by night. But the world didn’t need any of his vigilante justice.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

There would be less villains if there were less superheroes. The police would be able to take care of most things if there weren’t supervillains, and crimes would eventually calm back down. But if the superheroes insist on staying, as they do, they could at least not harm people as much as they do.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How about you just head back home,” Bruce suggested again.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I will do what I wish, thank you, and these days I spend my nights wondering where in the world Nightwing is.”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

This time, the billionaire visibly flinched. If she were anyone else, Alaina might not have noticed. But she did.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Do you happen to have any clue where he is?” she asked.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, I don’t really pay too much attention to what superheroes are up to. As long as the city is safe, I’m happy,” Bruce lied. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, maybe you should keep track of your children,” Alaina advised before resuming her walk.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What do they have to do with this?” Bruce questioned, still putting up the act of being a naïve, dorky billionaire that knows nothing about this world’s problems. It was so completely obvious what he was hiding, or, at least, trying to hide.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Alaina sighed and continued walking, ignoring the question that had been asked. If Bruce didn’t know where Nightwing was, then Nightwing was either kidnapped or had run away again. Alaina wasn’t about to let him stay missing, especially not when he was one of the few vigilantes who had been getting gradually less violent over the years. If she found him, she could help him. She could possibly even convince him to stop fighting crime, but that was a small hope. Vigilantes don’t just suddenly stop.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She had only one question; Where could Nightwing be?

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _


	7. Shattered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Minor Swearing

Alaina began looking for Nightwing right away. Even with all of her intelligence, she didn’t know where to begin searching for Nightwing. She didn’t even know where he was last known to be. If she were working with one of the people who knew Nightwing, this would be a lot easier, but there wasn’t any way that one of them would listen to her. She was just a little girl in the end, anyway. 

There was a possibility that they would help her, if she could just prove herself capable of helping them. How to do that, she knew not. They seemed to value intelligence and bravery, that was certain. Skill was always acquired upon working with the family, so she doubted she could prove herself to them with that. She had already annoyed a few of the members, so she doubted they would put with with her further. 

It wasn’t long until she found a criminal committing a crime near her. There was just another random person robbing a random store. It surprised her that she hadn’t caught a crime earlier than it was now. She’d already been in the city for a night, now, and the only crime she’d seen occurring before had been stopped while she watched. 

Well, might as well do something here to stop it from happening. It doesn’t matter anyway. It’s not like the Bat-brothers would show up; that would be too predictable. Alaina won’t stand for a stereotypical story. 

No, the crime was dealt with calmly and nothing much happened. The criminal seemed to have a soft spot for kids, so he didn’t shoot her, but he seemed tempted to do so. While she pestered him, the police were given time to arrive, though it’s a surprise they bothered to come with how simple this crime is. 

By the time the crime had been dealt with, the sky had darkened and stars started shining brightly, becoming the brightest thing in the city, for all the streetlights in the area were broken. Alaina wondered what happened, but Gotham’s streetlights always ended up broken, so why should it matter? That’s the kind of thing dorky billionaires fix. 

Alaina sighed. This was getting way more complicated than it needed to be. Why couldn’t she just find Nightwing and move on to the next city? A part of her knew she didn’t have to help them find him, but she ignored it. She’d rather be able to talk with him. Maybe, if she could just have a conversation with him, she could convince him to change the world some other way than going around beaten super-villains half to death. 

Yeah, because _that_ was likely. 

She sighed again, frustrated with life again. 

_Things were much simpler back at..._ she stopped herself before she fell any farther down that rabbit hole. She wasn’t going back, no matter how hard it was in the outside world. That place was horrible, and she would never return. 

Alaina walked down the street, being careful this time not to run into anyone. That had been embarrassing. She felt flustered just thinking about it. Clumsiness wasn’t normal for her. 

She distracted herself by thinking about all of her encounters with the heroes since she left home. The world must’ve decided to curse her, for she had already met several of the delusional idiots. 

She reminisced about when she first left that house. She had felt so happy those few weeks ago that it made her current unpleasantness feel like a joke. She would wonder why the world did this to her, but she knew it was her doing that caused her to be like this. After all, it was her brain that sent out the chemicals with the purpose of making her happy. It was her fault she wasn’t enjoying herself right then. 

She heard the footstep before she noticed the hand grab her. One swift movement and she had a knife to her throat. 

“Can I not have a moment of peace?” she asked irritatedly. 

“You’re in Gotham,” the person replied. 

“I am aware,” Alaina stated. “I prefer to know where I am.” 

“You’re currently in a bad situation that you’re not getting out of. Now come with me.” 

“Ah, ending a sentence with a preposition. I believe I am guilty of doing so myself,” Alaina responded, “but that’s the author’s fault.” 

“What author?” 

“I apologize. I did not realize you lacked the knowledge that we only exist inside the imagination of two people,” she paused, pondering for a moment, “though I guess it would be in the minds of plenty, now, would it not?” 

“What the hell are you talking about?” 

“I am talking about the story, obviously.” 

“Just shut up and come with me quietly.” 

“I shall do whatever you say, Sir.” 

“Are you mocking me?” 

“No, not at all.” 

The person glared at her. Alaina couldn’t see the glare, but she felt it was obvious enough. 

“You’re coming with me whether you like it or not. Enough with your antics.” 

“Sorry,” Alaina replied before stomping on the man’s foot. 

“Argh! What the hell is your problem?” the man accidentally let go. 

“I have many issues. And you,” she slipped from the man’s grasp, “are one of them.” 

“Why couldn’t this just be simple?” the man complained. 

“This is Gotham,” she answered simply. 

“You aren’t even from here!” 

“That does not mean that I cannot fight like a Gothamite.” _How do they know that I am not a resident of Gotham?_

“Gothamites aren’t typically good at fighting.” 

“What about Batman, Red Hood, and Red Robin? They are good fighters.” 

“Why don’t you go through the whole list?” 

“Do you expect me, someone who is not from Gotham, to know the whole list?” 

“You didn’t even mention Robin, yet you mentioned Red Robin. You’re supposed to have special knowledge about the Bats.” 

“What do you mean by that?” _They don’t know who I am; they only wish to capture me for information I have about the Bats._

_Good._

“You know what I’m talking about!” 

“Do I?” 

The man glared at her. “Quit acting dumb. It doesn’t get you anywhere.” 

“What if I am not planning on going anywhere new?” 

“Are you that uncapable of making this simple?” 

“First of all, I make things simple if I wish to do so. Second of all, ‘uncapable’ is not a word. I believe the word you are looking for is ‘incapable’.” Alaina began to walk away after correcting him, but the person grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaving. He was even as idiotic as to not expect her to flip him onto the ground. She couldn’t think of what he could possibly have expected other than that. 

“You insolent little brat—” 

“My apologies. I did not realize I was being arrogantly disrespectful. I apologize, but you might want to know that I do not care what criminals like you have to say, nor do I care if I offend you.” 

“Don’t think you’ll get away with irritating everyone you meet!” 

“I do not believe that I will get away with such actions.” 

“You’ll curse the day you angered me!” 

“Just silence yourself and kindly turn yourself in to jail.” 

The person glared at her before finally leaving her alone. She doubted he would turn himself in, but who was she to shove a criminal into jail? If every criminal were in jail, there wouldn’t be a workforce left. 

_People don’t get the hint these days, do they?_ Alaina wondered as she left the area, pretending that what just happened never did. 

Where was she? Right, trying to find Nightwing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol there goes the 4th wall


	8. Lost & Found

Alaina decided that the best course of action for finding who kidnapped Nightwing would to be figuring out who had the skill to do so. She walked around the city, scanning the crowds of paranoid civilians who anyone who seemed strange...or too normal. It wasn’t long until she walked straight into a small, dead-eyed teenager who obviously hadn’t slept in the past few days. 

“My apologies; I was unaware of my surroundings,” she apologized. The teenager’s face immediately changed from being sleep-deprived to become completely emotionless. 

Someone who had been raised in a similar way as her. 

“I accept your apology. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going either.” 

“You do not look well,” Alaina stated. “It would be best for you to get some rest.” 

“I’ll take your advice into consideration.” 

Alaina felt awkward at this moment. It was strange to have finally encountered someone else who had been raised in a similar fashion, and she had become unused to formal conversation. 

They both seemed uncomfortable. 

“I have somewhere to be,” the teenager announced. He seemed about to leave with closing formalities, but Alaina stopped him. 

“May I offer my assistance? I have been searching for Richard as well.” 

The teenager seemed thrown off by that. “Richard..?” 

“Your brother, Richard John Grayson-Wayne.” 

“He’s just been busy-” 

“No, he has not. Even if he were busy, he would make time to stay with you and help the city. There is not any possibility he could be undercover, either, for at least one of you would be able to assume where he is, even if he didn’t inform you. If none of the above, then he faked his own death again.” 

The teenager hesitated. 

“So where do you think he is?” 

Alaina paused. Something must have been wrong, for Tim wouldn’t normally be as quick to trust. 

“I am unaware where he might be, but I have been searching to locate who might have kidnapped him. I think the wisest action to take right now would be for everyone to take a break. Searching nonstop without any sleep will not help in any way.” 

“I guess you’re right,” the teenager sighed. He _must_ have been tired, considering him listening to being told to sleep. 

It wasn’t like him at all. 

“Is there some way I may get back to you later?” Tim asked. 

“No. Do not worry about it; I will find you.” 

Tim paused again, questioning something. 

“What?” Alaina asked. 

“Sorry, it’s nothing.” 

“Is the manner in which I speak bothering you?” 

“That’s fine. You aren’t required to justify or change it,” Tim replied, some of the formality returning to his demeanor. “I’ll try to find you when I’ve gotten rest.” 

“I am positive that I will find you before you locate me.” 

“Okay... bye.” 

And Tim was gone. ——— 

Alaina wandered the streets of Gotham. She, again, had returned her attention to the quest to find Nightwing. The best way she could think of was to witness a kidnapping and follow the kidnappers back to their base. 

It would be either overwhelming or underwhelming, depending on how much she could utilize her obedience. She’d learned that she could give herself commands, even if she disliked the idea. So far the simple command ‘stay hidden’ had helped her far too much. The main problem was how many loopholes she found in commands. 

She’d had practice. 

Now, walking around, searching for someone she didn’t even know, she wondered whether she’d truly become free or if she’d complicated things for herself. 

She figured it was a mix of both. 

_Where can I find someone being kidnapped?_ Alaina wondered, trying to distract herself from her life. _This is Gotham. It shouldn’t be_ this _hard_. 

Sure enough, it wasn’t too hard to find someone being kidnapped. The hardest part for Alaina was sitting and watching as it happened. It would be okay, she knew, but it still bothered her. 

As long as she found Tim quickly enough, nothing would happen to Irene. 

Alaina hoped. 

Despite everything she’d gone through, sitting back and watching was one of the hardest things she’d ever done. 

Soon, it was finished. Irene had been knocked out, and the people began dragging her back to the base. Star had run away near the beginning of the kidnapping. He would be fine on his own for a bit. 

It didn’t take long to get to the edge of the city. Alaina remained unnoticed as they reentered their underground base. It wasn’t anywhere inside Gotham; instead it lay in a nearby grassy area. 

This had been all too easy. 

_Time to find the bats_ , she thought to herself as she turned back to the city. ——— 

Two minutes. 

That’s how long it took them to arrive. Star was with them, no doubt having led them. 

Batman stood stoically, grumpy as ever. He obviously just wanted to be done with things. Good for him. 

Red Robin and Robin were with Batman. Three bats, one cat. Strange it wasn’t Catwoman. 

They’d all stopped the moment they saw her. Red Robin faltered slightly, obviously having recognized her. 

Good. 

“I knew you would come,” Alaina greeted, smirking. Batman was already analyzing her, wondering whether to trust her or not. 

_If anything he should probably throw me in Arkham_ , she thought to herself. It _was_ an asylum, after all. 

She wouldn’t deny that she was a little insane and definitely severely traumatized. 

“Did you need something?” Red Robin questioned. 

“Do I really need anything, or is everything merely a want?” 

Red Robin didn’t look happy with that answer. “Did you find anything or not?” 

“The words ‘anything or not’ do not need to be found, unless you’ve lost them from your vocabulary.” 

A look of pure irritation settled on Red Robin’s face. Alaina couldn’t hold back the small laugh that escaped. 

“I have managed to locate Nightwing, yes.” _I_ did _say I was looking for him._

Judging by Batman’s astonishment and Robin’s pause, along with Red Robin’s brief moment of overwhelming delight, Alaina guessed it must’ve been a while since they’d seen Nightwing. 

_“Learn how others feel. You should pay attention to their emotions and learn to sympathize with them, understand?”_

_“Yes, Mother. I understand.”_

_The automatic response_

_“Good.”_

_A small flutter of pride and triumph. A momentary burst of joy at the praise. Nothing. No longer did the emotions stay. No longer... Not anymore..._

“How?” Robin demanded, snapping her back into the present and skipping over the ever-more-important question of where Richard was. 

“By following the abductors when they abducted Irene, obviously.” 

Batman’s eyes narrowed. He was obviously analyzing Alaina, judging whether or not she’d be a threat. She wondered what he was thinking. If that was close enough to feeling... 

_Short, like Tim..._

“I do not appreciate you calling me short in your internal analysis of me,” Alaina stated, crossing her arms and glaring. Batman obviously was searching for answers. She’d somehow known what he was thinking. “If you want answers you can ask questions,” she added, turning to Damian, who’d been taught his whole life that questions made him weak. If he wanted answers, he could figure it out himself. 

“Who are you? Where is Nightwing?” He asked after a moment’s hesitation. The questions sounded more like demands, which didn’t sit well with Alaina. Nevertheless, she explained. She offered to take them to the place. 

“ _We_ will go. _You_ will stay,” Batman’s voice couldn’t sound more Batman. 

Red Robin and Robin seemed ready to listen to about anything Batman said, but Alaina refused. 

“To whom is ‘you’ referring?” 

“You, Alaina. Stay here.” 

“What are you going to say? ‘Kids don’t crime-fight’? In that case, you’re going alone.” 

_If Batman could even go by that condition._

After a while of convincing, she managed to force Batman to agree. She’d found that her stubbornness had that effect, and she was really good at being stubborn. It made her good at making people listen. 

Alaina led them to the base, showing them the entrance after being prompted. The entrance was a single trapdoor which led to a large hole, the bottom obscured by darkness. Along the side lay a single ladder, which seemed a little too unsteady. 

_I wonder how they managed to transport kidnapped people through this._

Star, of course, was the first to jump. 

Robin stifled a gasp, startled and concerned. 

“Don’t worry,” Alaina comforted. “Star will be fine.” 

Pause. Robin looked at her with suspicion. “How do you know his name?” 

“Good question,” Alaina replied. _Maybe it’s because I was once one of Star’s owners._

Red Robin had begun to go down the ladder, being careful not to fall, unlike Star. 

“You should follow Drake,” Alaina stated. 

Robin, caught off guard, followed the directions after throwing her a glare. 

Maybe she’d confused him a little too much. 

She followed behind him, not bothering to be as careful as the others. Once they’d all reached the bottom, Star was waiting for them, unharmed as Alaina predicted. 

At the bottom, a long, barely-lit corridor stretched before them. Footsteps shuffled loudly in the distance, and some voices sounded occasionally as the three bats, Alaina, and Star walked down the corridor, growing closer to the heart of a base. 

“Can you find Irene, please?” Alaina requested. Star nodded in return before sniffing the air and heading a certain direction. It only took them a moment to turn into a different corridor full of doors. Guards patrolled around more frequently. It didn’t seem as though they’d be able to rescue anyone with the amount of guards there were, but Alaina knew better. She was hiding with one of the best martial artists in the world, one of the most skilled bō staff users, and someone who had been trained since a young age to be an assassin. 

Not to mention Star, who could be very ferocious if needed, and if someone blocked his way from saving Irene, Alaina had no doubt he wouldn’t mind tearing them to shreds. 

Batman braced himself, ready to jump into action, but at that very moment, a door was flung off its hinges and the person within emerged. 

Well, they’d found Nightwing.


	9. I Can See the Stars

I Can See the Stars

“Why didn’t you come find me?” 

Irene’s face betrayed her overwhelming worry, but Alaina didn’t care. She was angry. Still... 

_“Don’t show them how you feel. Don’t complain. Children are to be seen, not heard.”_

_“Yes, Mother.”_

“I assumed that you would find me, if you cared,” Alaina replied. Her tone didn’t show her anger, which only frustrated her more. 

“Alaina, your eyes,” Irene said. “They’re... glowing, and... gold.” 

“That happens.” 

“How?” 

Alaina paused. She didn’t know how to explain it properly. 

“You left,” she said finally. “It didn’t stop their crazy experiments.” 

_You hurt me just as much as they did._

“I’m sorry,” Irene apologized. “I didn’t know what to do.” 

“You never came back like you said you would,” the nonchalance in her tone was more frustrating than ever. 

_I waited. I was a fool._

“I never found the right time. Alaina, I’m sorry.” 

“You shouldn’t be. There is no reason for you to feel guilty.” 

_I don’t even know why I’m mad._

“But-” 

“Sha’ii mef ii,” Alaina said. “It is not your fault.” 

Irene frowned. “I... I don’t feel like it isn’t. I should’ve known, should’ve done something. I should’ve been there.” 

“If you had stayed we would both still be there. I would not have left.” 

“Still-” Irene began. “I can’t help but blame myself. You know that. I’m not good at self-forgiveness.” 

“Would you have forgiven me if I left you there?” 

“I don’t know. I don’t know what you’ve been through.” 

“A lot,” Alaina replied. It was the simplest response. 

“I wish I’d been there with you,” Irene replied. “I thought they would’ve learned if I ran away. I thought they would’ve realized what they’re doing is wrong.” 

Alaina shook her head. “They’re monsters, the worst kind. The kind that should only exist in stories, not real life.” 

“I’m sorry I left.” 

“Let it go.” 

“Do you want to stay with me?” Irene offered. “I have a place. I’ve gotten a job here, though I might have to find a new one now that I’ve been gone. Wayne Enterprises has many programs to help people like us.” 

“I’m not interested. I’d rather travel the world.” 

“Be careful, okay?” 

Alaina had grown used to the commands. She’d found loopholes in so many. She’d already come up with several ways to disobey when she realized it wasn’t said with malice. 

“I will try,” she answered. “You should be careful as well.” 

“I will. Bye.” 

“Farewell.” 

Alaina had almost turned to leave before Irene hugged her. 

“I love you,” Irene said. 

Alaina hesitated before hugging Irene in return. “I love you too.” 

“Will I see you again?” 

“Some day.” 

Irene smiled sadly. They were ready to part ways when a meow stopped them both. Star stared at them, head tilted to the side questioningly. Alaina moved to pet him. 

“I’m leaving,” she said. “Okay?” 

Star meowed. 

“I’ll miss you.” 

He seemed to understand. 

Alaina really would miss them both, but she knew she couldn’t stay. Gotham held nothing but trouble. 

— 

The vast rolling hills were foreign to Alaina—she was only used to big cities—and is was an unusual thought that, save for the dirt road, humans had barely touched this land. 

She traveled determinedly, not stopping more than twice a day. She wanted to explore as much as she could before her journey came to a close, which she felt would happen in the near future, whether she liked it or not. 

At night, the stars shined brightly overhead, a brilliant view she’d rarely seen. 

She knew it wouldn’t last.


	10. Seeing Stars

Alaina traveled through the land, watching as the hills gave way to fields, which were soon turned into tress, then buildings. Skyscrapers touched the clouds and people walked the streets. Brilliant fountains of water flowed around beautiful statues. Parks were full of the smell of trees and freshly cut grass. Certain people would’ve said it smelled like the destruction of plant life. Alaina didn’t care much; it was only through destruction that life could be created. 

People gave her weird looks. They turned their kids away and tried to ignore her existence. She was homeless, and they knew it. Her clothes were already worn out. She had to replace them before heading to a destination she wished to see before her journey came to an end—Starling City. 

She must have missed the news, because the greeting sign was different. STAR CITY Renamed in memory of Dr. Raymond Palmer (1981-2015) 

_He is alive. I would help, but they will figure it out by themselves._

Alaina made her way through the city, not bothering to interact with anyone, save for a nervous Felicity Smoak, who seemed to be getting used to being recognized. Alaina simply smiled and waved, which by itself seemed to confuse Felicity. 

Alaina didn’t run into Arrow, who, according to the news, had recently reappeared to deal with the Ghosts. She wasn’t surprised, but it would’ve been nice to meet him. She had a few choice words to throw at him especially since his vigilantism included killing people who could be redeemed. 

Killing was necessary, sure, but not a lot of the time. People can change, and in Alaina’s opinion, they deserved second chances. 

Some of them, though, were just monsters. 

— 

Alaina reached San Francisco that night. She stayed at a hotel, which was a nice change from simply not caring where she slept. People weren’t too hard to fool, which made things better for her. Everyone probably suspected she was a kid, but it didn’t seem like anyone cared. After all, there were other things to be concerned about for them. Why were all the big cities so chaotic? 

Alaina startled herself when she noticed her own reflection. She looked surprisingly similar to when she started now that she’d brushed her hair and changed her clothes. It could be problematic since people were looking for her. No doubt her parents had sent out a missing person report as they had with her sister. 

She was about as carefree as she had ever been, yet a knot of anxiety refused to go away, and it only got worse as hours passed. 

Alaina tried to distract herself by exploring the city, but its beauty felt dull in comparison to other cities she’d seen. She’d never felt such a vivid feeling of incoming disaster, making it hard to ignore. As she knew, there was nothing left to do but let whatever was meant to happen occur. She knew she couldn’t stop it. 

— 

The people didn’t bother to wear masks. They knew no one would notice. Alaina had been sitting on a ledge when they attacked. She knew she had no chance. They were metahumans, meant to fulfill a mission that was not completely their choice. Their powers were meant to cover up each other’s flaws, and they were obviously trained really well. 

Alaina got herself hit with a vine in her right eye when she tried to fight back. She couldn’t win, not against people like this. They seemed to know about her ability, too, because one of them prevented her from speaking. 

A blonde-haired lady put a cloth over Alaina’s mouth and nose. It obviously had some kind of sedative or something of the sort. 

“Always know other’s intentions,” the blonde instructed. “Now sleep, little one.” 

_Why?_

Alaina already knew. This person meant well. This person didn’t actually want to harm anyone. Still, Alaina had been trapped. There was no escaping. 

_My journey has come to a close._

The world went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **The end.**


End file.
